Third Offense DUI in Rhode Island

Upon being charged with a third DUI in Rhode Island, the most important thing you must know is the punishment you are liable to face. If you have prior knowledge and competent legal help, even a serious charge such as drunk driving can be handled with relative ease, and you may face a reduced punishment.

Administrative Penalties

In Rhode Island, if you are found guilty of a third DUI offense, your license shall be suspended for two to three years. After the sentence--when you’ll want your license reinstated--you'll need to submit a Rhode Island SR22 insurance policy apart from a license reinstatement charge. After this, you will be allowed to drive with an ignition interlock device for two years.

Criminal Penalties

Criminal penalties are those parts of your sentence which require you to pay financial fines or serve jail terms. For a third offense DUI in Rhode Island, the penalties are as follows:

• A fine of $1000 to $5000 at the maximum.
• A prison sentence that can range anywhere between one to three years.
• The judge may decide for the defendant to forfeit his vehicle, or it could be seized and sold off by the state.

The Lookback Period

In Rhode Island, the lookback period, which is essentially the time during which the court looks back to verify if you’ve been involved in previous DUI offenses, is short and lasts for five years. Any offenses before this period shall not be relevant.

Felony vs. Misdemeanor in Rhode Island

Though the penalties are not too serious when compared to some other states, Rhode Island does classify a third DUI offense under felony. The charge is a serious felony irrespective of other charges involved, like destruction of property or harm to life among others.

Plea Options

Like every state, Rhode Island courts give three options to defendants in DUI cases. You may plead guilty, not guilty or negotiate the plea as the case progresses. The third option is called plea bargaining and can help the attorney get a lighter sentence for you.

Legal Help

Any person charged with DUI offenses should hire a competent attorney who can handle his case and provide sound legal advice. It should be the first thing on your priority list--to get good professional help.